


One night at a time

by SJD_Estrella



Category: King Falls AM (Podcast)
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:15:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26448391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SJD_Estrella/pseuds/SJD_Estrella
Summary: Sammy is hurt and Ben struggles to cope. So much can happen in a few hours. Troy and Emily try to hold the boys together whilst all of them feel like they will break.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 11





	1. The injury

Sammy painted on his fake smile and opened the door. Ben was inside playing with the sound board.

‘Hey Sammy’ Ben basically shouted in his enthusiasm, flashing that smile that made you feel like you were the best human on the planet. ‘You’re late’ he said wagging his finger in a joking manner. 

Sammy felt another bout of nausea hit him ‘Hey, Ben’ he managed to grunt out.

‘So quick warning, Troy just texted saying that The Dark is running around tonight so you may want to brace for a call from him.’ 

Sammy sat down heavily pulling his headphones on ‘OK Ben, thanks.’

Ben looked up for a second picking up on the flat tone of Sammy’s voice. He brushed it off as tiredness and pulled his headphones over his ears and started welcoming the audience ‘You're on with Sammy and Ben. That's 660 on the radio dial.’ The show went on as it usually does, well as usual as it can get in King Falls. Sammy was able to ignore the sick feeling in his stomach and the pain had gradually been getting less so that had to be good he thought. Archie was on the line saying something but Sammy hadn’t been able to focus on his voice too well.

‘So Ben, Sammy you can imagine my shock when I heard through the grapevine that Sammy had been attacked, maybe even injured but of course that can’t be right as I am talking to you both aren't I.’

Sammy sat up straight as he heard Archie say his name, he didn’t hear what it was to do with so maybe something was wrong. He watched as Ben, who had jumped out of his seat and was now beside him, his hands hovering over him saying his name. The noise seemed to come rushing back in as Sammy heard Ben saying his name repeatedly and getting louder and turning into that panicked voice that he wished he never heard from his best friend but sadly hears too much. He needed to help Ben.

‘Ben, what?’ Sammy went to move to help…

‘SAMMY’ Ben yelled as Sammy slumped forward only not ending up on the floor as Ben had caught him. Ben's mind and heart were racing. He could hear Archie shouting asking for information as his voice came out of Sammy's headset. Ben pulled the mic closer to him and yelled ‘Archie, call Troy. Sammy just collapsed.’ Ben’s breath hitched on the last word. 

‘Oh sweet jack in the box Jesus, I'm on it Ben.’ Archie yelled back panic seeping into his voice as well.

Ben took a breath ‘Come on Sammy.’ he whispered gently pushing Sammy back into the seat properly so he could look at him better. He could see a dark patch on Sammy's stomach. Ben suddenly couldn't breathe. He heard Archie's message repeat in his head ‘maybe even injured.’  
‘No please no’ muttered Ben going to lift Sammy's top. Ben felt like someone had poured cold water over him. Blood was smeared all over Sammy's stomach. A wound still freely bleeding was sending more red over his friend's skin like a paint brush changing the color to that appalling red. 

The rest was a blur, Ben didn’t remember Troy bursting through the station door or them both moving Sammy onto the ambulance stretcher. He didn't remember the sirens, Troy speaking, the street lights, Emily arriving etc. All he could focus on and remember when asked was Sammy's short labored breaths and the red smears now not just on his best friend but over his own hands and clothes as well.


	2. Waiting for news

Ben was staring at his fingers, all he could focus on was the wet dark blood on his fingers. 

‘Benny.’ Emily said, gently shaking Ben’s shoulders. ‘Benny, drink some water please.’ Ben took the water automatically but didn’t drink. Troy sighed and ran his hand over his face watching Ben's reactions. ‘Troy, tell me what happened please’ Emily asked as she rubbed the blood off of Ben's fingers. She bit her lip worrying as Ben didn't stop staring at his hands even though they were now clean. 

‘I got to the station as quick as I could... I heard it all. I was driving round checking on the Williams brothers when Archie came on, when I could hear the shouts from Ben. Archie was ringing me but I already knew. The whole way to the radio station all I could hear was Ben asking Sammy to open his eyes. When I got there, well Ben was practically on top of Sammy holding his wound with his hands.’ Troy stopped for a second seeing it again in his mind Ben’s tears freely falling, Sammy underneath him slumped on the chair and Sammy’s blood pulsing between Ben’s fingers. Sammy was not moving below him. Troy felt his stomach flip. He took a slow breath and remembered his training for dealing with trauma.  
‘I had already called the ambulance on the way after hearing Ben say Sammy had collapsed and after Archie's weird comment. We managed to get Sammy here. Ben was talking a lot but not really to us. Mainly to Sammy. He kept saying about pancake puppies.’ Troy gave a small chuckle at that. He stopped though as soon as he thought about what happened next. ‘Ben wouldn’t listen. I had to hold him back when they took Sammy through. He hasn’t spoken since.’ Troy looked so guilty. 

Emily took Troy's hand in hers ‘They had to take Sammy’ she said squeezing his hand. Troy nodded. ‘Have they given us any news on Sammy?’ Emily's voice hitched on Sammy's name. 

Troy's voice wavering more then he would like after hearing the slight hitch in Emily's voice said ‘We don’t know. They haven't come up but Emily...there was blood. A lot of it.’ Neither said any more. Emily gave Troy's hand one more squeeze then went and sat on one side of Ben. Troy followed suit on the other side. They both took one of Ben's hands in their own palms and sat there clinging to each other. 

Emily sat thinking through each possible thing that could have happened that caused them to end up here. Ben still was not moving and not speaking seemed frozen. Troy sat watching the clock, he was focusing on his breathing. After about 10 minutes, however to all three of them it seemed like an eternity, a doctor came towards them. She took one look at them. She had been there when they had come in and had seen how Ben had reacted to Sammy being taken through to the operating room, she turned to Troy. She knew Troy well from school and anyone who was anyone knew about the King Falls radio family and that Troy may be law enforcement but he was their friend as well and heck Sammy's family was right in front of her. She didn't know if Ben knew but he was Sammy's point of contact on the documents they had for him. She decided to drop the formalities and tell them what she could. 

‘He is stable however we still need to operate. His wound is deep and there is some form of metal object in the wound. We are unsure what it is. At the moment whatever it is looks like it stabbed into him and broke off getting left behind. Troy, do you have any more information about what could have happened to Sammy?’ Ben, who had remained frozen through the whole description of Sammy's condition, flinched as she said Sammy's name. He didn’t say anything though. Emily gave his hand another squeeze. 

Troy sat up straight and concentrated on the facts as he knew was best ‘All we know is Sammy was seen near the road that would take you...well’ he glanced at Ben before continuing ‘well near where the lights had last been seen. Where Sammy had been when the radio station was hit.’ All three looked to Ben but he didn't make any movements or sounds. ‘We don’t know what happened other than from some local gossip that someone had been driving past and saw Sammy get tackled by someone.’ The doctor wrote down the information on the chart. 

‘Ok until we take him in you can see him. Please be quiet and calm though. We usually only allow one person, definitely max only two if they are family. However...’ she side glanced at Ben. ‘As we know you are his family other than in blood and Sammy doesn't have anyone else close in this town we will permit it. Troy you are a police officer so that is fine as you are helping with the investigation. So technically it's two family members and a police officer but please remember we have the rule to not overwhelm patients. Keep it calm. We will be taking him into the theater soon and well…’ she went as gentle as her voice would allow ‘be prepared for any outcome as we do not know exactly what we are dealing with.’ Emily felt her throat stick at those words.

Troy turned to them both and said gently ‘Come on you two, we need to go see our best bud.’ Ben just nodded slightly. Emily and Troy didn't let go of Ben's hands and started to follow the doctor. Troy thanked the doctor knowing they were breaking rules for them.

The doctor whispered to Troy ‘We all listen here on our shift. We love the Sammy and Ben show. We know Ben would be the one to go in but, well, we all heard that broadcast. He shouldn't have to go in alone and Emily will need the help.’ 

Troy gave the doctor a watery smile ‘Thank you.’ he managed to whisper out again his composure gone ‘thank you so much.’ Troy looked over at Emily seeing that she had heard as she had the same watery smile look on her face. They both nodded to each other and went into Sammy's room.


	3. All we know to be true

Sammy was lying in the bed before them. He looked fine as if he was just asleep. Under the blanket was the damage, Emily knew this but she didn't want to think about that. The sound of the machines seemed so loud in such a silent space. Troy looked over at Emily and both of them squeezed Ben's hands again. Ben was trembling.

‘Hey Sammy.’ Emily said in a cheery voice. 

Troy copied the tone ‘Getting a good nap are we Sammy...’ Before Troy could continue Ben surged forward. He grabbed Sammy's hand roughly. Troy let out a warning about being careful but Ben didn’t hear. He was past medium rage Sammy would say, but he can’t say, because he damn well collapsed. He felt Emily and Troy trying to pull him back.

‘Sammy wake up!’ Ben yelled, shaking the limp hand in his. Emily appeared in front of his vision as Troy managed to pull him back. Ben still had his hand on Sammy's in a tight grip.

‘Ben, stop! You are going to hurt him’ Emily said both her hands on Ben's shoulders. Ben was putting all his energy into trying to break free. He now couldn’t see Sammy with Emily blocking him, then worse he lost his hold on Sammy. He started fighting Troy like he was possessed. Why didn't they understand! Ben wasn't listening to them and was even pushing Emily now. Troy managed to spin Ben around to look at him and hit him across the face. Not hard but enough for the shock to hit them all. Emily gasped but didn't let go of Ben. 

‘Ben buddy, calm down’ Troy said in a steady calm voice ‘you cannot help Sammy like this and you could hurt someone’ Ben stopped. Every bit of life seemed to disappear out of him. His eyes clouded over and he ducked his head. Troy could see the shimmer of tears on his cheeks and the redness on one cheek. Troy felt awful but at least it had worked. 

‘Troy, what happened?’ Ben whispered ‘he was right with me. He was sitting opposite me.’ Troy could hear the anger edging back into Ben's voice, his breath getting quicker by the second. ‘Why wouldn't he say anything’ Ben yelled at them. ‘He promised! He promised... he promised’  
Emily had tears running down her face now at seeing Ben like this grabbed him and hugged him.

‘What do you mean he promised?’ Troy asked gently, also putting his arms around Ben. They both held him protectively. Feeling his breathing calming down again. Ben buried his head into Emily’s shoulder. The wetness from his tears she could feel through her top. 

‘He promised he would say if he was hurting, he promised he wouldn't leave. Why, why would he do this again.’ Ben wailed the last part. His hands grasping into Troy and Emily's clothes. Ben started to choke on his words ‘Archie said, he said he was where we nearly lost him before. He wouldn't need to be out there for any reason...but but.. he was.’ 

Emily could feel the anger and sorrow coming off of Ben. She bit her lip realizing he had a point. She felt fear grab at her heart. It felt so strong, like a weight pulling her down. She could see Sammy over Ben's shoulder and she looked at him thinking. Sammy had promised her food after the show at Roses. He was going to babysit Mary and Tim's kids this weekend. He went to the radio show after the event and acted normal. Wait, he went to the radio show... just like that she felt the weight lift. She could see the calm on Sammy's face and knew whatever this was. He wasn't trying to leave. It was the same calm she had seen on his face for a while now. He never had that calm before the events of that anniversary with the gate and the lights.   
‘No Ben, he wasn't trying to leave. All we know are rumors. We don’t know it to be true and he came back to the radio station. So that does not make sense. Why come to the radio station.’ She pulled herself back and tipped Ben's face up so she could look him in the eyes. ‘He. Loves. You.’ She punctuated each word with a pause keeping eye contact the whole time. She said the statement with absolute certainty. ‘All we know to be true is that he loves you and us.’ Ben kept eye contact. He gave a small nod. Emily gave him a small smile and she turned Ben to look back at Sammy ‘Hey Sammy, hurry up and wake up. Ben's throwing fits and we need dad voice to sort him out.’ Troy laughed, feeling some of the tension in the room melt away. Ben gave a small mutter that they didn’t hear. Troy maneuvered Ben into the seat by the bed, a little concerned Ben might collapse himself after that emotional outburst. Troy then walked around the bed and gave Sammy a hug around his shoulders. Careful not to jostle him. 

‘Wake up soon co best buddy, Emily isn’t kidding’ Troy said as he pulled away. 

‘Love you Sammy’ Emily said pressing a kiss to his head. Troy and Emily looked to Ben. He gave a nod again and stood up. 

‘I love you Sammy and I am sorry. I will help with whatever this is. Just please wake up soon and I, I, I won't even be mad that you collapsed on me’ Ben said, leaning over giving Sammy a head bump and a kiss on his forehead. Emily and Troy took Ben's hands again and they all stood talking to Sammy until the doctors came in to take him away.   
The three were left to re take their positions in the hallway. Ben had just put his head into his hands, feeling exhausted, his muscles starting to ache as the final remnants of adrenaline dissolved away.

‘What the hell happened Arnold!’ Ben jolted up at that voice and saw a very angry Lily Wright stomping towards them. 

‘Oh jack in the box Jesus’ muttered Ben feelings of guilt and fear creeping in as he realized no one had messaged Lily.


End file.
